Davideis :: :: University of Virginia Library

Tho' the sharp sentence, which in too great haste
Th'unwitting king upon himself had plac'd,
Was mitigated by the clemency
Of David's God, that David might not die;
Yet did the prophet in God's name declare
That he would evil against him prepare,
Which should in his own family arise,
And on him bring the sorest exercise.

This was the doom, tho' more at large exprest,
By which poor David was to be distrest,
Which, though protracted, yet would certain be;
For who can alter a divine decree?
Judgments denounc'd may linger; but at length
They fall more heavy, and with greater strength;
Sometimes the stroke doth at a distance stand,
Yet that which brings it on is near at hand;

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So in this case some years did intervene
Betwixt the sentence and the tragick scene;
Yet that which led thereto did closely lurk,
And in short time did thus bring on the work.

Of all the many sons which David had,
Amnon, the eldest, was a topping lad,
Who of the Jezreelite, Ahinoam,
Was born soon after she to Hebron came.
A daughter also David had, whose name
Was Tamar, a most beautiful young dame;
Sister she was to Absalom the fair,
David's third son, so noted for his hair.

On this half-sister-princess Amnon cast
A wanton eye; affection grew so fast
Upon him, that, not daring to discover,
For shame or fear, what an unlawful lover
He was; he pin'd away, his cheeks grew pale,
His flesh did waste, his strength began to fail;
The fiery passion, in his bosom pent,
Did inward burn, for want of outward vent.

A friend he had, who unto him was near
Of kin, a friend peculiarly dear,
His father's brother's son, nam'd Jonadab,
Quick-sighted, and too wise to be a blab.

He well observing how from day to day
His princely kinsman pin'd and fell away;

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For which, since he no outward cause could find,
Concluded something did afflict his mind;
Wherefore, a proper season having got,
He put the question close, inquiring what
It was that on his nature did prevail,
So as to make his countenance look pale,
And flesh decay; imploring not to hide
Ought from his friend in whom he might confide.

Prince Amnon, by his friend thus closely prest,
His love, tho' not without a blush, confest;
The princess Tamar 'tis, said he, I love:—
Oh, that my love should so eccentrick move!
I love my own half-sister, who did spring
From the same root, as I myself, the king;
I love, ah me! I love, yet love in vain,
Hopeless the object of my love to gain.
This is my case; the heat of my desire
Consumes my nature, sets me all on fire.

When Jonadab, than whom no man alive
Knew better how a mischief to contrive,
Had heard the case, he soon discover'd what
Would Amnon please, and thus he laid the plot:

Go, take thy bed, said he, and for a trick,
Put on thy night-cap, feign that thou art sick;
And when thy father comes to see thee, say,
Give leave, I pray, my sister Tamar may
Come to me, and before me dress some meat,
That seeing her prepare it, I may eat.

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He went no farther; for he knew the prince
Was quick enough to understand his sense;
And if he could but draw the long'd-for dame
Within his reach, knew how to quench his flame.

Amnon, the counsel liking, forthwith took
His bed upon it, and, with puling look,
Dissembled sickness; quickly the report
Of Amnon's illness reach'd the royal court.

The king in haste to Amnon doth repair,
To see his ailing son, the kingdom's heir;
This gave fair room for Amnon to request
He might eat something by his sister drest;
The king consents, and doth his mind declare,
That Tamar should to Amnon's house repair,
And there, by his direction, dress such meat
For him, as he, poor heart! could like to eat.

The princess Tamar did no sooner hear
Her father's order, but with filial fear,
And nimble steps, she to her brother hies,
Who on his bed, dissembling sickness, lies;
She ask'd him how he did, and did bemoan
His danger; but more justly might her own.
The courteous mien, fresh beauty of the dame,
Did more and more the lecher's lust inflame:
She ask'd him what he'd please to have her make
For him to eat; he pitch'd upon a cake:
She to the work address'd herself with haste,
Temper'd the flour, and wrought it into paste:

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Her milk-white hands, and slender fingers, frame
The pliant paste, till it a cake became;
Then having bak'd it also at his fire,
(Each turn and motion height'ning his desire),
She brought it to him; but he put it by,
His room was overfill'd with company:
But order given that it clear'd should be,
And none left in it but himself and she;
He then requested that she would draw near
And bring the mess; she did so without fear.
But when, alas! within his reach she came,
He laid fast hold upon the lovely dame;
Then taking her about the neck, he kist her,
And bluntly said, ‘Come lie with me, my sister.’

Surpris'd, the damsel trembled, and would fain
Have from him got; she strove, but strove in vain;
He held her fast; she then began to plead,
And for her honour, thus did intercede:

‘Oh! force me not, my brother! I entreat
‘Thee to consider, that the sin is great;
‘Great in itself, greater in thee to me,
‘So nearly link'd by consanguinity;
‘Forbear, I pray forbear, thy lust restrain;
‘Thine honour, mine, our father's, do not stain
‘With such infamy; thou know'st full well,
‘No such thing may be borne in Israel.
‘Should'st thou defile me, where could I abide!
‘Where find an hole my shamed head to hide!

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‘Thou too, the heir of our great father's crown,
‘Born to the kingdom, bred in high renown,
‘Thy father's darling, and the people's joy,
‘What will become of thee, if thou destroy
‘Their hopes by perpetrating such a crime
‘As this? well might thou thenceforth curse the time
‘Thou e'er saw Tamar; for thou then (ah me!)
‘But as a fool in Israel would'st be;
‘Regard thine honour, mine, our family,
‘And rob me not of my virginity:
‘Force me not, brother, force me not; but rather
‘Ask me in marriage of our royal father;
‘He to bestow me on thee will not fail:—
‘O let my pray'rs and tears with thee prevail!’

This said, she with her tears bedew'd his face;
But he, whom lust had quite bereft of grace,
Her most importune prayers would not hear,
But to her supplications stopp'd his ear,
And being stronger, did by force deflow'r
The princely dame, resisting to her pow'r.

Great is the diff'rence betwixt lawful love
And lawless lust. That doth itself approve,
By its effects to be indeed divine,
As having a cœlestial origin;
That constant is, and by enjoyment grows
Still stronger, which its innate virtue shows:

But t'other, which is miscall'd love, and must,
If rightly nam'd, be styled filthy lust,

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From sensual concupiscence doth flow,
Which shews its parentage is from below;
This likes to take a taste of ev'ry one,
Dally with all, but constant be to none;
And this, how hot soever it doth burn,
After enjoyment, can to hatred turn.

Such love was Amnon's, whose uncurb'd desire,
After his sister, set him all on fire;
He burn'd, he flam'd, consum'd, and needs would die,
Unless he might with his own sister lie;
Yet, when he once his brutish end had gain'd,
And, by a rape, his sister's honour stain'd,
He, in a moment, chang'd his amorous theme,
And flew as high in th'opposite extreme;
He, who but now was over hot and bold,
Is now become to her exceeding cold;
He, that in nothing else could take delight,
But her fair face, now loaths and shuns the sight;
She, who before his heart did captivate,
Is now become the object of his hate;
He hates her now; he hates her now much more,
With perfect hatred, than he lov'd before;
He hates her so, he can't her presence bear,
But every hour she stays, he thinks a year;
That nothing might to shew his hate be lacking,
He rudely bids her—up, away, be packing.

This surly carriage added to the grief
She had before, nor knew she where relief,

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Oppress'd, to find; she told him, on her part,
There was no cause he thus should break her heart;
Wish'd him to weigh whether this would not bring
Greater displeasure on him from the king.

He the deaf ear to all she said did turn,
And churlishly did at her counsel spurn;
Then call'd his man, and sternly bid him put
That woman out, and fast the door to shut.
He did so. She, poor princess, did lament
The double injury; forthwith she rent
Her royal robe, of divers colours made,
With which king's virgin-daughters were array'd;
The lovely tresses of her well-set hair,
Her trembling fingers, through deep sorrow tare:
Then putting ashes on her head, she laid
Her hand thereon, and mournful accents made,
While to her brother Absalom's she went,
Where she more freely might her case lament.

As soon as Absalom the ravish'd dame
Did see, well knowing also whence she came,
He straight suspecting what had her befell,
Begg'd of her that she would not stick to tell
Him how 'twas with her; whether Amnon had
Abus'd her, and from thence she was so sad.
She, blushing, rather to acknowledge, chose
Her wrong by looks, than shame by words disclose,
He understood her; and considering
How dear prince Amnon was unto the king;

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How high in favour of the court and town
He stood as heir-apparent to the crown,
Concluded in himself 'twould be but vain
To hope for justice, if she should complain;
Therefore he wish'd his sister to conceal
The wrong sustained, until he could deal
With Amnon for it: she submits to wait;
And liv'd with him, but much disconsolate.

Absalom's guess was right, that 'twould be vain,
For Tamar of prince Amnon to complain
Unto the king; for though he very wroth
Is said to be, yet was he no less loth,
When to his ear this foul transgression came,
To lay on Amnon punishment or shame.

But Absalom did bear the thing in mind,
And in due time to be reveng'd design'd;
For in his heart he could not choose but hate
The man that durst his sister violate,
How near, or high soever: such a stain
Will hardly be got out till he is slain
That gave it; therefore Absalom is set
Amnon to kill, when he fit time can get.